Mail-bag lock.



MAIL BAG LOCK. APPLIUATION FILED MAR.11,1908.

Patented septzs, 1909.

Agamzw4 :aA GRAHAM oc mum-Manning WASIENGVN, D. c.

@zwi/Mmmm A Md UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GLEN I. WILLETT, OF REE HEIGHTS, SOUTH DAKOTA.

MAIL-BAG LOCK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GLEN I. WILLETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ree Heights, in the county of Hand and State of SouthDakota, have invented a new and useful Mail-Bag Lock, of which thefollowing is a specication.

The invention relates to improvements in mail bag locks.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofmail bag locks, and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensivemail bag lock, designed to be permanently applied to a mail bag, andadapted to dispense with the staples with which the ordinary mail bag isequipped, and capable of enabling` a mail bag to be quickly and securelyfastened and readily unfastened.

lith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claimshereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form,proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope ofthe claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing :-Figure l is a perspective view of a mail bag lock,constructed in accordance with this invention, and shown applied to amail bag. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, the bag being open.Fig. 3 is an elevation, the bag being closed. Fig. et is a detailvertical sectional view, illustrating the means for securing the lock toa mail bag and the construction of the label holder.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawing.

The mail bag lock includes a lock casing l and a shackle 2, forming acircular loop and provided4 at one end with an eye 3, which is hinged tothe lock casing at one side thereof in the usual manner. The free end tof the shackle is beveled, and is provided at one end with a shoulder,adapted to be engaged by locking mechanism contained within the casingl. The casing l andthe locking mechanism are designed to be constructedsimilar to the locks used by the Post Office Department, but as any formof locking mechanism and casing may be employed,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 11, 1908.

Patented Sept. 2S, i909. Serial No. 420,439.

and as these features do not constitute any portion of the presentinvention, a detail description and illustration thereof is deemedunnecessary.

The shackle, which is of circular form, provides a bag-receiving loop,adapted to receive a mail bag 5, when the neck is gathered together toclose the mout-h of the bag, as clearly illustrated in Fig. l of thedrawing. The terminals of the shackle form narrow or contracted entranceto the loop, which is of greater diameter than the said entrance. Byhaving the entrance of a width less than the loop, the shackle isenabled to retain the neck of the bag in its gathered or closedcondition. The shackle surrounds the bag, which is confined within thesleeve of the shackle by the lock casing. One side of the shackle isenlarged to form a label or tag-receiving portion G, which is providedat the upper and lower edges with side flanges 7, extending inwardlyover the outer face of the enlarged portion and providing grooves orways to receive the side edges of a tag or label S. The tag or label,which is designed to bear suitable matter to indicate the destination ofthe mail bag, may7 be readily introduced into the holder at either endthereof, and the curvature of the holder is adapted to bow the label andcreate sufficient friction on the same to retain the label in theholder.

The lock is secured to the bag by means of rivets 9, or other suitablefastening devices piercing the shackle at the label holder and the bag,as clearly illustrated in F ig. of the drawing. The inner face of thebag is preferably reinforced at the attached portion of the lock bymeans of a piece of leather 10 and a metallic plate or strip 1l. Therivets 9 permanently attach the lock to the bag, so that there is noliability of the lock beconiing lost. The lock is designed in practiceto be equipped with the usual spring for throwing the shackle open whenthe same is unfastened, and the bag may be quickly removed from theshackle, when it is unlocked.

IVhen the mail bags are hung up in a mail car, the label holder will bearranged in a horizontal row and may be easily read so that nodifliculty will be experienced in picking out the bags.

IVhile referred to as a mail bag lock, the receptacle shown in thedrawing is referred to by the Post Office Department as a mail pouch.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A mail bag lock including a casing, and a curved shackle forming aloop to receive the neck ot' a mail bag when the latter is closed, saidshackle being provided with an enlarged portion having longitudinal sideflanges forming label receiving grooves or ways.

2. The combination with a mail bag7 of a mail bag lock including acasing, and a curved shackle permanently attached to the mail bag andforming a loop to receive the neck otl the mail bag when the latter isclosed, said shackle being provided with a label holder consisting ot'spaced longitudinal side flanges forming a groove or way to receive theside edges of a label, said label holder being curved longitudinally tobow the label or tag to cause the same to frictioually engage the grooveor way whereby the label or tag is retained in the holder.

3. TheI combination with a mail bag or receptacle, a shackle permanentlysecured to the outside of the bag or receptacle near the mouth thereof,means provided on the ontside ot the shackle to constitute a labelholder, the ends of the shackle being spaced apart sutliciently to allowthe opening otl the bag and forming a contracted entrance ot a widthless than the width ot the shackle and sutliciently narrow to retain thebag in a gathered condition when the entrance is open, and the lockcasing bridging the space between the terminals of the shackle andpermanentl-y connected to one terminal ot the Vshackle and detachablyconnected to the other end ot the same.

ln testimony 'that l claim the foregoing as my own, l have heretoattixed my signature in the presence ot' two witnesses.

GLEN l. VILLETT. lllituesses J. O. GAGE, lV. T. GARDNER.

